Supreme Court to take major look at privacy in digital age

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Supreme Court to take major look at privacy in digital age

(CNN) — The Supreme Court will undertake a major examination of privacy in the digital age, after accepting review Friday of a pair of appeals over whether police must obtain a warrant to search data on the cellphone of a person under arrest.

Criminal suspects in Massachusetts and California were convicted, in part, after phone numbers, text messages, and addresses obtained from personal electronic devices linked them to criminal drug and gang activity.

Oral arguments could be held as early as April, with a potential far-reaching ruling by June.

The appeals are separate from President Barack Obama’s review of National Security Agency surveillance of metadata phone records.